Open letter to First Merit bank

To whom it may concern,

Do you think you could do me the favor of perhaps being OPEN for fucking once in my life during the day? I'm beyond pissed that every time I need to deposit a check or talk to a teller your banks are always closed. Closed after 4pm (when most people get off of work) and closed even at NINE IN THE MORNING. Who hasn't opened by 9am? What kind of lazy bastards do you have working for you that they refuse to keep hours most working people need? I guess everyone depositing money in your banks are jobless shitbricks that can stay at home all day and visit you when you're open from 1-1:05pm. STAY OPEN FOR ONCE you jackasses, I'm getting sick of doing my banking via AT fucking M.

Sincerely,
The guy giving your tellers dirty looks in the window while they sat talking AT NINE AM, REFUSING TO OPEN THE DOOR

Comments

[James Bullard]

This bank is terrible. They took a check back in Dec and tried to deposit into my account. Now my account is bouncing. I had paid this check a month ago so they had no right doing that. The bank manager calls my wife ignorant and he refuses to do anything about it. My landlord has the check that bounced on me in Dec. Yesterday she gave me the check. The bank said her bank is the one that wants the money. I called her bank and she said no we don't send letters and my landlord had to pay the check to get it back.

[Dana M.]

I opened an account with this bank about 4 months ago and it has been hell. The people working there are ignorant, rude and just cannot comprehend anything. I use my debit card to pay my bills online and they always double charge me, one is the holding fee and the other the actual charge so I always end up with overdraft fee's having to go complain to the bank. They blame me, the one women basically told me that if my bills add to $200 I need to put $400 to cover any of "MY DOUBLE CHARGES" ...wait a minute, its you!! not me!! I finally lost it today though when I called and finally got someone to remove the 4 fee's on my account only to charge me another insufficient funds fee later today, upon calling the service center I had some total moron bimbo about 18 years old who wanted to interupt me and then go on a 5 minute psychological talk about how I am a "very dumb person and I am exhausting myself on this, Its only money, and here let me transfer you to my co-worker so she can tell you the same thing and see how dumb you are". To put it simply I lost it and Im done. Im writing a letter to the service center manager because this person needs fired and this bank needs to stop ripping people off. DO NOT OPEN ANYTHING WITH THIS BANK, IT WILL BE YOUR WORST DECISION.

[p.]

I think FirstMerit is a wonderful bank, they employ so many ohio residents, they are always helpful and kind.. thank god they are not shutting down like so many other companies in the U.S. right now. times are so bad may the just keep going and going to benefit us all.

[FirstMerit Moneybags]

Don't waste your time with Group Banking at FirstMerit. I was told overdraft protection was standard on this type of account. What they don't tell you is the protection is a one-time 'courtesy'. For an oversight of $3.69, I got charged $241.50 in two days time. I caught it pretty quick online and transferred money from my savings but unfortunately It isn't automatic as they lead you to believe. Anything done online looks instant but in reality, it requires someone in the office to manually do the work even though it is done on a computer! This work is charged to the next business day. I'm certain they sat in a comfy boardroom and figured this out as a way to screw as many people out of their money as possible.

[Just In Time]

Thanks for the posts! I'm switching banks right now for some of the same reasons (don't go to Fifth Third, either!) and was about to open an account at First Merit today. I guess I'll keep looking! Or maybe stuff my money under my mattress.

[Jesse Woodruff]

In the past I've had similar issues with First Merit. To hell with them and all corporate banks. I joined a credit union and now have a $1000 overdraft loan for my checking account, 4.25% interest - on my checking account, all with NO minimum monthly balance. I also have a 2.99% lifetime apr my balance transfer to their credit card. Stop putting up with getting raped every time you overdraw 50 cents. Close your bank account and go check out your local credit union.

[Mark Miller]

First Merit hit me with an overdraft fee the same day I put $200.00 into my account, even though the teller told me that I could use my card right away, with it being July 4th weekend. So with the overdraft charge, I was down to 165.32 in my account. Started spending like I always do. And so I checked my account one day, and got a thing in the mail saying my account now had insufficient funds in it. Here is what they did:

I did the math, and after all the transactions should still have had 31.83 in my account.

Then, for some reason, they HIT me with two overdraft fees, when I still had 31.83 in the bank, which, by them hitting me with 2, $25 fees, it put me in the negative by them doing this.

But these two overdraft fees never appeared on my account and had any effect on my available balance, because my balance still showed I was in the positive. So I spent a few more bucks, and was left with 1.14 in my account, after the next 5 transactions this is. MY account STILL showed I was in the positive, and these two mysterious overdraft fees were nowhere to be seen yet.

Then, apparently, the 2 initial overdraft fees showed up on my account AFTER I had made most of those 5 purchases, and by them charging me those two overdrafts, even though at the date and time that they show, I had 31.83 in the bank, which put me into the negative, and which then made the 5 following transactions continously overdraft my account, and I now currently have 7 overdrafts of $25 dollars, and equally $180 dollars that has to come out of my 352 dollar paycheck..which then I have to pay 50 of it to someone else who I owe, which then leaves me with $120 something dollars left to my name.

First Merit is a ripoff. They charged me 2 overdraft fees when I was still in the positive, which then made my account overdraft, which then caused the other overdrafts of the following 5 transactions, because my account still said I was in the positive and the two phantom overdraft fees that came out of nowhere were nowhere to be seen at the time.

[smw]

where do i begin, well i WAS employeed thru this so called bank for over eight years, believe me i had to be heavly medicated, with nerve pills and sleeping pills, just to make it thru the day,most employees are medicated just so they can put up with the bull shit, from so called manager's...
tell me just because you have a college degree, you can become a manager....our manager could not even wait on customer's at our teller window's, but yet we will get rid of our experienced teller's, because the higher upper has a frickin' degree. i had finally decided that i needed to take medical leave, being on nerve pills, and sleeping pills was not for me, so i did what the frickin' bank told me to do, go see a psyc. doctor, guess what the doctor said..."FIND A NEW JOB" there is nothing wrong with you, it is the job. i stayed on my medical leave, when my time ran out i called "HR" and a certain gentleman told me to contact my so called manager, and let her know i was not ready to come back that i would like to take some of my vacation time, my manager never tried to return any of my call's, finally "HR" called and said i need to return to work the following day or i was without a job, my comment was, i called in to my manager , exactly what i was told to do, but she never returned any of my call's."HR" said i do not know anything about what he or she said, imagine that!!!!!so i told them i quit, and it is no wonder most people that work for first merit is medicated, guess what the day i resined i haven't had a nerve pill or sleeping pill since, the doctor was right...i fell so much better, although they screwed me out of my vacation pay, 4 weeks to be exact, because the manager did not return any of my call's, but that is the fm way, avoid conflict!!!!no customer service.i have a new job know,to any employee's at first merit,GET THE HELL OUT,you are promised the world and guess what you don't get shit, except shit on. i wish a lawyer would step in, and settle this bullshit this company does to there employees...the management are heart less and ball less, if u have a college degree and like to treat people like shit, go apply at the hell hole, for sure u will be medicated, but then again maybe not, u don't have to do nothing,but sit in your office, and talk on the phone(personnal of course)i can remember when we had teller's to wait on people, we were happy and so was the customer's,but u are lucky to have 3 teller's,what the hell kind of cs is that, peolpe standing in line for 15-20 minute's,and because fm does't care about there customer's, to all employee's and customer's get the hell out of that shit hole, i once again hope a lawyer steps in and stop's this bullshit they do to there employee's and customer's.

[Jenn M]

I have a car loan with this company and have only had it for 10 months. Would you believe that there has been something wrong with EVERY payment we have made to them? We have tried mailing the payment in, paying the payment at the First Merit branch at the local Giant Eagle, had a date set to automatically withdrawl, and we have even tried to make the payment over the phone. We mail the payment in and "they didn't receive it". We take it to the bank and the idiots never process it. We set it to come out of our account and they try to take it out 2 days before the date set so the funds aren't in there. We call to make the payment and it doesn't get processed. This company is a total shit hole! My car is in my mom's name and this has been marked on her credit for THEIR errors! Just recently we called to see why our payment hadn't been taken out of our bank account and they said they weren't sure why it hadn't been taken out of our account because they had the payment. The NEXT day after talking to them, we get a call from their COLLECTIONS department saying we need to make our payment because it's LATE! The communication with this company is absolutely ridiculous. The collections department isn't able to see the Customer Service department's notes, the Customer Service department isn't able to read the Payment Department's notes, none of them can read the notes put on the account from each department! Not to mention, EVERYONE we have talked to is absolutely nasty. They have caused my car to be days away from being reposessed! Want to know why?? When we scheduled to have our payment taken out of our account, they took it out 2 days early. We use a separate banking account to pay our cars and our house payment and we only put in there what we need so the money was not in there because the payment wasn't supposed to come out for 2 days! So when they did that, we got hit with NSF fees from them AND drafting fees from our bank! Not to mention they kept running it through until we put the money in there! They called my mom on the day we had scheduled for the payment to be taken out (which they took out once the money was finally in there) and made her pay $1750 or my car would be repoed! They made her pay the payment which they had finally gotten out of our account (which she didn't know they had taken it out again because this was on the same day) and plus the next months payment, PLUS tons of late charges from previous months that were their fault and all of the NSF fees from them running the payment through over and over!!! After 2 months of OUR bank auditing our account and fighting with First Merit, they FINALLY refunded the payment they took out of our account after my mom had already paid for it. It took us days of fighting for them to understand that they made us pay twice for 1 month but once our bank told them, they finally got it! They submitted this on my mom's credit and finally after another 4 months they said they would have it removed since it was their fault..however we are STILL waiting on the letter in the mail we requested STATING this. After July's payment battle of them lying to us saying they received the payment we made, we were finally able to speak with someone that was helpful. The first time in 10 months! She waived the late fee and gave us a confirmation number (after the lady we MADE the payment to told us they stopped giving those out...idiot) and we requested to speak with a manager (again). We complimented the lady we talked to and told the manager that she was the 1st person in 10 months to actually be helpful and NOT rude. We explain all of the problems we have had with the company and made it aware that we have scheduled a meeting with our local dealership who we are loyal customers to, to discuss what a horrible experience we have had with them and to suggest that they stop doing business with First Merit (our dealership is all about the customer so they will be FURIOUS to hear of our experience with them). We told the manager how horrible the communication is with their company and she replied with "I am thankful you said that on this recorded message because communication is a very big issue with this company" so even SHE knew it was a problem. She was very helpful and is now pulling all of our previous records and recorded phone calls to them. She is going to figure out when we paid the $1750 what all it entailed because we feel we didn't get back enough because there are still tons of late fees and NSF charges that we shouldn't have had to pay for. All in all, that is my experience and I hope that no one ever gets a car loan through them. I can honestly say that we have been miserable for 10 months dealing with this because it has only been stress to us because who likes getting collection calls when you have done what you are supposed to EVERY month?! These people are a bunch of idiots and they need to stop getting away with this bull shit!

[Megan Locher]

These stories make me really sad...
i've had bad experiences with frist merit as well (surprise!) but i wont tell my story since it's been told over and over by you guys :(
it makes me really sad and angry when i see what the world is run on.. and how corrupt these companies are. i mean, i really dont think you can win with banks and insurance companies they are all just money hungry and they dont care about the people. it makes me want to keep my money in a jar hah but you cant. you HAVE to have a bank - that's what sucks. they bend you over you whole life and there is nothing you can do about it.
hhhhhhhh i'm only 19 years old and this sht stresses me out..there's only more to look forward to

[pat]

well they are at it again getting rid of all the CRS IV positions not to downsize but to replace them with new employees instead of keeping experienced people in the branches

[Erica S]

I am really starting to hate this bank and I have only been with them for one month! Their ATMS are always down at the Whipple/Hills and Dales Branch... ALWAYS "sorry for the inconvenience" my butt

And the charge their customers .75 to check last five deposits, withdrawals and ATM charges. WOW!! What a great way to treat your customers FMB.. NOT

I hate this bank and will be looking for a replacement tomorrow morning.

[Ian A]

I am also in the same boat. Checked my balance online, and it showed $60 dollars in my account, exactly what i had written down. I walked to the bank 2 seconds later and took out 20 dollars, and to my surprise my account was -86 dollars.

So realizing I might have made a mistake, I did not touch my account for 3 days until my check went through. Guess what? 3 days later, my overdraft fees totaled $428 dollars. I had been a loyal customer for 14 years and this is the second time I have ever overdrafted. I talked to them, because the first time I ever overdrafted I signed up for overdraft protection. Much to my surprise there was no overdraft protection on my account. So talking with them and telling them that I signed up for overdraft protection, they split the
$428 with me and charged me $214 for the overdraft. Then next day, added another $99 in overdraft fees which brings the total close to $528 just in fees on being overdrafted $86 for 3 days.

[FIRST MERIT SUCKS]

If anyone has the misfortune of dealing with "Georgia" in the mortgage loan department please accept my sympathy. She is the rudest bitch I've ever had to deal with. We were late with a mortgage payment and she had the nerve to tell me my husband should look for a better paying job. This is after paying on this mortgage for 29 years and only $1600 left to go. First Merit you can kiss my ass good bye.

[to all you whiners and haters]

Did it ever occur to you to write your transactions down as they actually happen. Don't come in the bank and expect us to know exactly what you did over the last week. We don't control when OTHER companies want to take YOUR money out of the bank. Also just because the atm is temporally out of service doesn't mean it doesn't work. Sometimes we fill it as it does not magically fill it itself and why is it so hard to remember to take your money or your card isn't that why your there in the first place. oh and another thing the atm is still twenty four hours behind. therefore your balance is also 24 hours behind dont blame us because you don't carry your check book register with you and write down your purchases as they actually happen not as they magically appear online. If you have questions ask don't be ignorant and by the way sometimes are management needs time off after listening to you complain about stuff we have no control over. We are more than happy to help and listen but like anything in life if you make a mistake own up to and grow up.

[DON'T TRUST MY BANK ANYMORE]

I have been with this bank for 10 years. The only thing I can say is take your money and run. I have a loan through them and three checking accounts. One is personal and two are business accounts. We got behind on a loan payment .It was due on the 14th. On the 5th of the next month a man from the Akron office starting calling. He is a stalker.He said we owed two payments. I said the second one isn't due until the 14th of this month and the first payment isn't even a month behind. He kept wanting to know why we were late,asking way to personal questions. I told him I would make sure to make the late payment at a local branch on Friday. Friday I put a deposit in,but it was all checks.I knew Fist Merit doesn't clear them for a day or two.So I figured I would wait until they cleared and then make the payment. On monday I called to check my balance in one of our business accounts that I write payroll out of and this bastard had cleared the deposits on Friday that I had put in on Friday in my accounts,tried to take the payment out of the personal account which didn't have enough to cover it ,put it back like another deposit and then had taken two payments out of the business account.
When I called ,the collections department told me this was in the fine print on my loan paperwork and that they could do this. I said fine I understand the late payment, but not the one that wasn't even due yet. This is far from over , I plan on being late again just so I can tape this man who calls and says deragatory things to me and watches my accounts daily. Maybe then someone can take them down. Stay tuned for more on this subject.............

[Buhbye]

I was laid off after an unplanned emergency medical leave, after working for FM for over five years. I consistently hit my goals, provided outstanding customer service, and even got awards for my achievements. I really felt the 'new' district manager was biased against me because of my medical problems, so it was no problem for this person to look the other way when I was trying to get back to work there. Now, I'm busting my butt, working two jobs just to make ends meet (after a painful and difficult surgery, mind you), and have continued to bank with FM just so I wouldn't have to go through the hassle of changing. Unfortunately, now that I have been 'dismissed' once again by the bank (over a similar dispute many of you have written about - and I'm a good money manager!), I am now shopping for a new bank. I wish the existing customers luck with FM. . . and I wouldn't blame you if you left, too - I really do miss my old customers and hope they are doing well.

[pissedoff]

FUCK FIRST MERIT!!!!! i do landscaping so when i get off work im dog tired... i do my banking at my computer... online banking is a joke.. tells me i have enough money to cover certain things.. the next day somehow after making a few purchaces (of less than what my online statement said i had) im now -257.00.... so there goes my plans on going away to PA for the weekend with my co workers... first merit is screwing good honest hard working people and its fucking ridiculous!!!

[A Canton Customer]

Today is October 13, 2009, I really wish I had found this web site before I got a checking account at first merit, (they don't deserve to be capitalized). What happened to so many people has now happened to me. I phoned in to check my balance and was told I needed to deposit only $43.00, so I put in $100.00 just in case. To my dismay they then have charged me with over $200.00 in overdraft fees. They lied to me and are very cocky when you call in to inquire as to whether or not they had given the correct information in the first place. Extremely corrupt organization. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT put one dime into this bank, they will lie, cheat, and steal it all away from you. Inaddition, if you do make the attempt to go into the bank and inquire about the fees you will get a "banker" who from her little cubicle will speak so loudly (she loves an audience) saying, "YOU HAVE 10 OVERDRAFT FEES". I could not believe my ears. This idiot of an employee appeared to enjoy embarrassing me and humilating me. I could not for the life of me figure out why this was permitted. After speaking to the call center in Akron, Ohio and after phoning the bank president, another idiot, I have come to the conclusion that this is a strategic tactic used to intimitate customers into accepting their corrupt policies at overcharging and misusing funds of their customers. I am not stopping, I am phoning my congressman and the Ohio Attorney General's office, also I will be writing to all of their Board of Directors and to both Time and Newsweek magazines, and to the New York Times, I want these thieves to be stopped. This is unbelieveable, the corruption of First Merit Bank. It is downright illegal what they are doing and must be stopped through legal action. Stay tuned, because I will not stop until this is taken care of. Trust me, they will get exposed.

[Tallmadge Circle Customer]

Pretty much the same thing happened to me. We mistakenly deposited an empty envelope into the ATM which our mistake but instantly deposited our check after that. Well, wouldn't you think the would open the empty envelope and see that it was a mistake? NOPE. They took out the amount of the check which in turn overdrew my account 8 times. I didn't figure out what they had done at first so I called to have them go over it with me. The man told me pretty much that I didn't keep good enough record and that it was my fault and they were not going to do anything. The next day I looked over my account again and saw what they had done. They would never have caught it themselves. Nice to know who is handling your money.

Also, their online banking is horribly slow to update. When it does show something going through it shows the date it went through and not the date you actually used your debit card. I'm fed up with them and leaving today!

[Jerry Rochefort]

Can we do a class action law-suit against them for unfair pratices? How can your account show something going out. Somehow three days later that transaction never happened, only to find out it shows back up after those three days?

Anyone a lawyer here?

They minupliate the dates and times of desopits and withdrawls to thier advantage.

That is both illegal and immoral!!!!!

Let's band together and make them repay us for thier stealing from us.